Aggies reach Big 12 title game

Stilson’s shoulder injury dulls happy moment for A&M.

Texas A&M starting pitcher Ross Stripling pitches against Kansas State in the 1st inning of the teams' Big 12 tournament game, on Saturday, May 28, 2011, in Oklahoma City.

Texas A&M starting pitcher Ross Stripling pitches against Kansas State in the 1st inning of the teams' Big 12 tournament game, on Saturday, May 28, 2011, in Oklahoma City.

Photo: Alonzo Adams/Associated Press

Photo: Alonzo Adams/Associated Press

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Texas A&M starting pitcher Ross Stripling pitches against Kansas State in the 1st inning of the teams' Big 12 tournament game, on Saturday, May 28, 2011, in Oklahoma City.

Texas A&M starting pitcher Ross Stripling pitches against Kansas State in the 1st inning of the teams' Big 12 tournament game, on Saturday, May 28, 2011, in Oklahoma City.

Photo: Alonzo Adams/Associated Press

Aggies reach Big 12 title game

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OKLAHOMA CITY — Rob Childress didn't wear the expression of a man whose team had just advanced to the Big 12 tournament title game. Instead, the Texas A&M coach's somber face reflected the news he'd received just before the Aggies' 9-8, 11-inning victory over Kansas State on Saturday.

That ace John Stilson was out for the season with a torn labrum in his throwing shoulder.

“My disappointment is not for my team,” Childress said in a Bricktown Ballpark tunnel late Saturday afternoon. “It's for John. He's given us everything he's had from the day he stepped on campus at Texas A&M, and for him to not be a part of the most fun time of the year breaks my heart.”

The second-seeded Aggies (41-18) will face eighth-seeded Missouri (27-31) in the title game at 1 p.m. today without Stilson, and more importantly will host an NCAA tournament regional later this week minus Stilson's mid-90-mph fastball and his team-best 1.68 ERA.

“It really comes down to who's coming to College Station,” Childress said of the plan for his revamped pitching rotation. “And how the matchups work as far as who we're going one, two or three.”

Stilson is a junior who was expected to be a first-round selection in next month's amateur draft. Of his ace's suddenly uncertain future, Childress said, “That's something that will be determined obviously in a couple of weeks, as far as the draft goes.”

Childress had scratched Stilson's scheduled start in the tournament opener on Wednesday minutes before game time after Stilson said he had soreness in his shoulder. The Aggies are 3-0 in the tournament without him, including Saturday's comeback from an 8-4, eighth-inning deficit, thanks in part to Kyle Martin's three innings of hitless pitching to close out the game.

“I'm really proud of our team,” Childress said. “Guys didn't quit, we kept chipping away and had a big inning in the eighth to tie the game.”

A&M finally prevailed in the 11th, as Matt Juengel led off with a double off the left-field wall that narrowly missed winning the game on its own.

“I hustled out of the box because I know with these bats, balls I used to think were gone don't go out anymore,” Juengel said of this year's aluminum bats that better reflect the wooden variety in terms of lessened power. “I don't even question it this year.”

Juengel later scored from third on Kevin Gonzalez's game-winning chopper between third base and shortstop.

“I took a couple of pitches because there was a new pitcher,” Gonzalez said. “He threw one in the strike zone, I hit it into the ground, it hopped up and we were able to score.”

In doing so, the Aggies earned the chance to defend their title from last year — and perhaps earn a top-eight national seed in the NCAA postseason with another league tournament championship.

“That's what we came up here for,” Childress said. “We felt we had an opportunity if we played well from an RPI standpoint to at least make it hard on the (NCAA selection) committee.”

Kansas State roughed up A&M starter Ross Stripling. He allowed seven runs over 5 2/3 innings for his worst outing since allowing eight runs over 4 1/3 innings at KSU on April 3.